Ms. Dynamite

From her North London upbringing, Niomi McLean-Daley—known professionally as Ms. Dynamite—absorbed reggae before discovering hip-hop at twelve. Though she once aspired to work as a primary-school teacher or social worker, music ultimately claimed her attention. She began her career at the pirate station RAW FM, where an encounter with Richard Forbes, aka Sticky, in a West End club led the pair to develop her first single, “Boo!,” which Social Circles, the label run by DJ Jason Kaye, then licensed to London Records.

Punch, Salaam Remi, Tony Kelly, and Dave Kelly handled production for her debut album, recording sessions taking place across Miami, New York, and Jamaica. That project, A Little Deeper, included the hit singles “Dy-Na-Mi-Tee” and “It Takes More.” In September 2002 Ms. Dynamite became the first Black female artist to receive the Mercury Music Prize, prevailing over the Streets, the Coral, and veteran performer David Bowie. Three years afterward she issued her follow-up album, Judgement Days.